Fishing reports are provided by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. This report in its entirety may be viewed here.

Northern District

Covering Dare, Hyde, Currituck & Beaufort Counties

Spotted Seatrout - new size limits went into effect October 5, 2009 - See Rec. Guide
Snapper/Grouper - new rules effective September 18, 2009 - See Rec. Guide

Ocean: Winter anglers catch plenty of yellowfin tuna when conditions permit along with a few wahoo and dolphin to make for some good offshore action.  Midrange anglers target striped bass and red drum during the winter season with moderate-good success. Find a regional fishing Web site that reports daily catches or contact a local tackle shop for up to date fishing reports.   

The vermilion snapper closed season began Nov. 1,  and it will not reopen until April 1, 2010 (See link above for more information)

Inlets/Sounds/Bays: Inshore activity will be heavy when weather conditions permit with most anglers targeting striped bass, which are often found throughout the Roanoke, Croatan, and northern Pamlico sounds especially near bridges or any other structure. There will also be some good winter catches of spotted seatrout and red drum (they have been everywhere throughout the year), A good place to try would be Oregon Inlet's Green Island Slough from pre-dawn to mid-morning hours. 

Piers/Shore: Piers are currently closed, most will re-open around Easter.  Beach anglers can have a tough time fishing this time of year due to rough surf and adverse weather, but once again, when conditions permit, some of the largest red drum and striped bass are taken from the surf.  Bluefish blitzes can happen this time of year and offer anglers some short-term active fishing.  Don’t forget about the possibility of some excellent speckled trout surf fishing this winter on the southern beaches (Rodanthe southward). 

General Overview: Adverse weather is the main enemy of winter anglers. When the weather is favorable fishermen should seize the moment. Good luck in your winter season fishing effort!

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries interviews anglers throughout coastal areas to estimate the marine recreational fishing catch. The following regional fishing reports are updated weekly and compiled by DMF port agents as they observe and interview fishermen at access sites along the coast - more than 500 anglers are interviewed each week.

Please note: Typically, NCDMF posts each week's new reports by early Monday afternoon.